Wolfgang Gartner >> had a busy transition into 2013. After a mile-high NYE set in Denver he immediately flew into the desert to cap the night and ring in the new year in Scottsdale with a super nasty set at El Santo Cantina, headlining the Last Dance party that also featured Phoenix's own Turner & Heit.
Turner & Heit set it off nicely to start the shindig. At 9-ish when we arrived to claim our table it was deader than MJ and the rumored sellout was suspect. It only took another 30 minutes before heads rolled in and 900 strong were dancing our faces off while Turner & Heit set the House on fire.
El Santo Cantina came through out of left field again with this party after bringing in legends like Paul Oakenfold and Richard Vission this past year. Now an upper scale and legit cantina [think NOT Spanish Fly] with lights and music, add Wolfgang Gartner to the repertoire and the old Jilly's has converted from a lunch spot in north Scottsdale to a hot spot in the greater Phoenix area.
Briefly after the desert-bred T&H wrapped up their set, Wolfgang Gartner got on and threw it down for a hot minute before 2013 ball dropped. The countdown wasn't as grandiose as years past by Z-Trip and Steve Aoki but nobody gave a shit because we all just wanted to keep raging and the set to continue. It was a cold night but very warm in front of the decks.
The party was the blastest blast and since I opted out of his set at Outside Lands and he was a no-show at Identity Fest Phoenix, finally getting to see Wolfgang Gartner in the very last opportunity of 2012 was a huge bonus. It's been at least 5 years since I've spent NYE in Phoenix but here this year and seeing an artist of this caliber taking it to the desert on a big night is a big step for the scene here. I'm looking forward to more parties like this here in town and this only helps the shift to a festival destination like I've been anticipating for the past few years.
Check out some of the vids below and rest posted on the zBORED YouTube channel.
marc
